Surogate Continuum

[Okeydokey]

I am so new to this but... on my refractor detailed in sig. can I use a UV/IR cutter and #58 green for solar viewing and still make a saving over the Baader Continuum?

The front end is sorted re: Baader N5 film etc.

Many thanks

[Okeydokey]

I meant 'surrogate' of course

[Merlin66]

The cheap man's Continuum is a light green filter......

[Steve Ward]

Yes you can , but visually there's not a lot to be gained detail-wise , and any benefits are countered by having to look at a green Sun ...  

[Stargazer_00]

I have the continuum filter and it does indeed bring out a bit more detail.  It does come at the expense of having to look at it in green though.

Much the same can be said for using UHC filters on nebulas I guess.

I hear that a wratten #58 is the alternative to the more expensive dedicated continuum filter.

[Okeydokey]

How about the Wratten #11 which is more yellow and green that dark green?  I like to think of my approach being one of a poor man as opposed to a 'cheap man' 

[Steve Ward]

I have the same approach ...  

I think you'll be disappointed with the Continuum , the small detail gain is not really worth the £50 in my opinion ,  or £100 for the 2" version that I  need / don't need .... 

I think that a #56 might do a bit but the Yellower #11 will not do much detail-wise but could be a little easier on the brain , personally I much prefer the "Whitelight" view ... 

Better to save for a Hershel Wedge for the best Whitelight visual experience.

[RikM]

I think this may be one of those 'your mileage may vary' things. I love the Baader solar continuum filter. I had a light green filter before and the BSC filter blows it away completely to my eyes. You do need a bright view to make it worth while though but if you have the right combination I think it works very well. I normally use a TV Pronto with a full aperture ND5 Baader solar film front end filter and then a Pentax XW 10mm with the BSC filter, so lots of light throughput and pretty sharp optics to start with.